The present invention relates to transporters, such as conveyor systems, and in particular to transporters used in the food industry.
Many types of products are transported by transporters, such as conveyor systems. For instance, in the food industry prepared food items, such as pizzas, entrees, and desserts, are assembled from various component pieces, including foodstuffs and packaging, which are transported by one or more transporters. Further, the finished product and/or the component pieces are often transported on or by multiple transporters, such as by a first transporter and then by a second transporter.
The creation of the finished product from the component pieces often requires that the component pieces be brought together at certain times. As such, it is desirable to control the spacing and/or positioning of the component pieces on a given transporter to ensure adequate processing of the component pieces to form the product.
Further, some component pieces are provided in bulk. As such, it is desirable to accept a bulk amount of a given component piece and to subsequently arrange the individual component pieces such that the individual component pieces may be transported in a somewhat ordered manner, such as a single layer of the individual component pieces on a transporter.
In one exemplary embodiment, a transport control system is provided that is configured to control the spacing and/or orientation of the individual component pieces of a product which are to be transported from a first transporter to a second transporter. In another exemplary embodiment, a transport system is provided that is configured to accept individual component pieces of a product in bulk and to arrange the individual component pieces in a somewhat ordered manner, such that the individual component pieces may be presented to a transporter in a somewhat ordered manner. In one example, the individual component pieces are arranged such that the individual component pieces are in a single layer.
In a further embodiment, a transport system for placing a plurality of randomly positioned product on a transporter in a single layer is provided. The transport system includes a first transporter having a first end and a second end and a transport member configured to transport the product from the first end to the second end, a hopper, a drive system coupled to the first transporter, and a control system connected to the drive system. The hopper forming a repository proximate the first end of the first transporter. The repository is adapted to receive a randomly positioned product. The drive system is configured to drive the transport member at a transport speed such that at least a portion of the randomly positioned product is moved from the repository towards the second end of the first transporter. The control system is configured to control the transport speed. The control system includes a first sensor positioned to monitor the presence of a first one of the product in an output region proximate to the second end of the transport member and a controller connected to first sensor. The controller is configured to set the transport speed generally equal to a baseline speed when the first one of the product is detected in the output region and to deviate the transport speed from the baseline speed when the first one of the product is not detected in the output region. In one variation the transport system further includes a product rake configured to block a second one of the product stacked on top of the first one of the product from being transported to the output region.
In a first exemplary method, a method of transporting a plurality of randomly positioned product from a hopper to a first region of a transporter, such that the plurality of randomly positioned product is placed on the transporter in a single layer is provided. The method includes the steps of transporting a portion of the plurality of product on a feed transporter from the hopper towards the transporter, blocking a first one of the portion of the product as it is being transported by the feed transporter such that a single layer of product remains on the feed transporter, the first one of the product being stacked upon a second one of the product, monitoring the first region of the transporter to determine if a third one of the product is currently present in the first region, and moving the second one of the product from the feed transporter to the first region of the transporter if the third one of the product is not currently detected in the first region.
In another exemplary method, a method of controlling the placement of at least one of a plurality of product from a first transporter moving at a transport speed and having an output region to a second transporter moving at a baseline speed and having an input region is provided. The method includes the steps of setting the transport speed generally equal to the baseline speed in the absence of an event, monitoring at least one of the output region and the input region for the occurrence of an event, wherein an event corresponds to one of the detection of the presence of or absence of a first one of the product in one of the output region of the first transporter and the input region of the second transporter, and deviating the transport speed from the baseline speed upon a detection of an event.
In yet a further exemplary embodiment, a transport control system for controlling the placement of at least one of a plurality of product from a first transporter to a second transporter, the first transporter having an output region and a first drive system to drive the first transporter at a transport speed and the second transporter having an input region and a second drive system to drive the second transporter at a baseline speed is provided. The transport control system includes a first sensor configured to detect the presence of the product and is positioned to detect the presence of the product within the output region of the first transporter, a second sensor configured to detect the presence of the product and is positioned to detect the presence of the product within the input region of the second transporter, and a controller is connected to the first sensor and the second sensor, the controller is configured to control the transport speed of the first transporter based at least on one of a first input signal from the first sensor and a second input signal from the second sensor, wherein the controller increases the transport speed above the baseline speed of the second transporter when the first input signal indicates that a first one of the product is not present in the output region of the first transporter.
In yet another exemplary embodiment, a transport system for placing a plurality of randomly positioned product onto a transporter is provided. The transport system including a first transport system configured to receive the randomly positioned product and to organize the randomly positioned product into a single layer, the first transport system having a first end and a second end; a first product mover configured to move a first portion of the product from the first transport system to the transporter, the first product mover positioned between the first end and the second end of the first transport system; a second transport system configured to receive a second portion of the product from the first transport system not moved by the first product mover, the second transport system positioned adjacent the second end of the first transport system; and a second product mover configured to move at least a portion of the second portion of the product from the second transport system to the transporter.
In still a further exemplary method, a plurality of randomly positioned product are moved to a transporter, such that each individual product is positioned in a respective tray transported on the transporter by a method including the steps of receiving a plurality of randomly positioned product; arranging the product into a single layer; transporting the product; moving a first portion of the product to the trays on the transporter; collecting a second portion of the product; arranging the second portion of the product into a single layer; transporting the second portion of the product; and moving the second portion of the product to the trays on the transporter.